It is often necessary in farming and in agriculture to supply water to the fields or in the case of growing rice to flood the fields to facilitate crop growth. Agricultural fields are typically irrigated or flooded by the use of underground piping systems which supply water to the fields when it is needed. The piping systems typically incorporate standpipes which are typically directed upward from the piping system and it is from these standpipes that the water is introduced to the field to be irrigated or flooded.
Valves are typically mounted to the standpipe which are used to regulate the flow of water. The typical valve is mounted on the end of the standpipe and incorporates a valve element which fits against a valve seat. The valve element is operated by a threaded valve stem that moves through a central hub which, when turned, moves the valve element to and from the valve seat to shut off or maintain water flow. The details of this type of valve are well known in the art and for this reason are not shown in the drawings. Examples of such valves are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,919 to J. O. Tow at FIG. 2, U.S. Pat. No. 1,455,406 to V. B. Nicolaides at FIG. 1 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,646,076 to H. E. Bonander et al at FIG. 1.
When the valve stem is turned so that the valve element is away from the valve seat in the open position, the water flows outward in all directions around the standpipe. This action subjects the person opening the valve to the water flow and typically results in that person getting wet. In addition, the water flow is not directed to any particular location.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,975 to Erickson attempts to address this problem by providing a housing to fit over the standpipe. The housing is secured to the standpipe by dogs slidably disposed against the standpipe. The housing of Erickson has an accumulator with sidewalls which collect the water and deflect it to gate on one side of the accumulator.
Other diverters have been manufactured from plastics, PVC, cast iron, and other metals to direct the water away from the person opening the valve and to a desired location.
Plastic and PVC diverters such as that described as a directional flow header in Soileau Industries catalog, page 27 break easily if bumped by equipment in the field and are often destroyed when the stubble and weeds are burned off the fields after harvesting. These plastic and PVC diverters often required a complicated systems of metal bolts, hooks and claims to secure the diverter to the valve.
Cast iron diverters are heavy, unwieldy, and are not easily installed. Most diverters, such as that described in Erickson, typically utilize a complicated bolting system to attach the diverter to the standpipe. Diverters made from steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel or aluminum typically require extensive welding in their fabrication.
Consequently, a need exists for improvements in standpipe flow diverters which will address the disadvantages associated with conventional diverters.
One object of the invention is to provide a flow diverter for irrigation standpipes which may be more easily mounted to and removed from the standpipe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for securing the flow diverter to the standpipe with a minimum of bolts or fasteners.
Another object of the invention is to provide relatively light, fire resistant and corrosion resistant diverters.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating metal diverters from metal sheets such as aluminum and stainless steel sheets with a minimum of welding.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating diverters from rolled metal sheets.
Other objects will appear from the detailed description.